Method of handling high explosives



J.- A. SCHOHELD AND C. W. HALL.

METHOD OF HANDLING HIGH EXPLOSIVES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, I919- Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

2 $HEETSSHEET I.

J. A. SCHOFIELD AND C. W. HALL.

METHOD OF HANDLING HIGH EXPLOSIVES.

A'FPLICATION FILED NOV. I9. 1919.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PAT

JOHN A. SCHOIEIELD, 01 VJASHTNGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND CHARLES W. HALL, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

llTETI-IOD OF HANDLING HIGH EXPLOSIVES.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed November 19, 1919. Serial in. 339,203.

the high explosive or the recovery" of such explosives from defective containers.

This invention will be hereinafter described with relation to its application to a method of handling of T. N. T. or similar high explosives although it is, of course, to

be understood that without material modification various features'in the method of handling the explosive may be carried out on. othez materials without departing from the invention.

in the apparatus heretofore employed for this purpose separate machinery has been used for stirring the high explosive and for p uiding the same through grids prior'to introducing the explosive into the melting apparatus. The use of such method-and apparatus increases the liability of fire and explosion through frictional contact and involves great expense in the installation of such machinery and its subsequent opera tion. Much difficulty has also beenexpericncesl in controlling the temperature of the plastic explosive. The gases generated and ZlliS type of apparatusgreatly endangered the workmen to gas poisoning-and also subjeeted them to the above mentioned dangers of lire and explosion; it is one of the objects of my invention to overcome these and other objections by the provision of a simple and practical process or method of handling higl'i explosives.

I am aware that melting high explosives in water is now used by manufacturers for the purpose of purification. When the trini tration is complete; tile melting explosive is first washed in contact with hot water by sti ring in steam jacketed kettle. After setthe explosive is drained through a valve and comes into contact with jets of cold water which break it up into pellets. These pellets are renielted by stirring in steam jacketed kettles with hot water. It will be noted that although the water is used to facilitate the melting the steam jacketed kettle is also used. The various advantages of this invention can be more readily understood and the novel features thereof will be more apparent from the following description of the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure'l is .a front elevation, partly in section, of the complete: apparatus.

Figure is a top plan of the same, showing one of the covers removed.

1 Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates steel tanks in which the explosive is pla'ced.-

The tanks 1 have inverted pyramidal bottoms 2. Removable covers 3 provided with steam vents 1 and supply chutes 5 are secured on the tanks 1. Bars 6 are disposed transversely near the bottom of the tanks 1 for supporting mine cases. Feed valves 7 are-placed in a water supply llne 8 adJacent the tanks for supplying same with water. Drain valves 9 are provided in drain pipe 10 whereby the tanks 1 may be emptled or overflow taken care of. A sultable source of'steam supply 11 having a regulating valve 12 and hydrokineters leads into a saturator 1 1-. From the saturator 1 1 the steam passes through pipes loand 16 andhydrokineters 18 into the tanks 1 containingwater previously supplied to the tanks 1 by the pipeS and valve 7. Sultable valves 17 are provided for controlling the admittanceof' steam into tanks 1. At the apex of the bottoms 2 discharge pipes 19 having gate valves 20 anda strainer21 communicate with supply pipe 22 having thereon a discharge measuring valve d3. r

The operation is as follows zil hen the explosive is to be melted the tanks 1 with covers 8 in place are filled about half full of water from valve 7 and pipe 8. Steam valves 17 are opened admitting steam.

through regulating valve 12 at a constant pressure of twenty-five pounds to hydrokineters 13 and 18. The jets from the hydrokineters 1-3 and 1S agitate or stir the water and raise it to the boiling point. The v saturator 14 is introduced to insure a constant temperature of 256 T since the steamy from the regulating valve 12 will be superheated at amount depending upon boiler pressure and transmission losses.

Panama Jan. re, men.

The crude explosive is now introduced into the first tank 1 through chute 5, no crushing being necessary, until the desired charge is contained in the tank. The steam entering through hydrokineters 18 produces a violent agitation of the whole mass, bringing every particle into contact with the hot water and keeping it in circulation until it is melted. The tendency of the T. N. T. having a density of approximately 1.58 to set tle to the bottom will be prevented except in the pipe 19 below the hydrokineters 18. When the T. N. T. is melted the valve 17 is closed'and the contents of the tank allowed to settle for approximately forty min-j utes causing the water to rise to the surface and leaving practically dry T. N. T. in the pipes and at the bottom. The T. N. T. is now ready to pour.

The valve 20 belonging to the tank now ready to pour is opened, allowing the T. N. T. to pass through the strainer 21 to the valve 28 from which the explosive can be poured into the container. T. N. T. gauge 24: is to show the valve operator when he no longer has enough for a full charge, thus preventing pouring water into a partly completed charge. 1

It is apparent that the using of the two tanks, alternately filling and melting in one tank while the T. N. T. in the other tank is settling and being poured, will permit constant operation of the apparatus. This .independent operation of the two tanks is facilitated by a common source of steam supply 15, having independently operative shut off valves 17. The same is true otthe water supply line 8 and valve 7. The tanks 1 and,

steam pipes 15 are heat insulated and all T. N. T. pipes and valves are steam jacketed or wound with steam pipe as at 25.

valve 17, and otherwise the operation is similar to that of melting T. N. T.

From the above it will be seen that this invention is of a simple, practical and highly efiicient character well adapted to accomplish, among others, all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

What I claim is: v

1. The method of melting high explosive wherein water in a-receptacle is raised to the boiling point by jets or steam previous to introducing the high explosive in said receptacle.

2. The method of melting high GXPlOSlTQ which consists of practically filling a closed receptacle-with water, raising said water taining the explosive are supported by suitable means within a container and subjected to jets of steam whereby the explosives may be drained from said cases.

6. The method of melting and recovering high explosives which consists of filiing a closed receptacle with water, raising said water to the boiling point by jets of steam, and introducing damaged cases containing high explosive into said receptacle whereby the explosive is reduced to a plastic state whereby the explosives may be drained from said cases. v

Signed at Vashington, District oi Columbia, this 10th day of September 1919.

JOHN A. scHormLn.

Signed at Missoula, Mont, this 25th day of September, 1919.

CHARLES l/V. HALL. 

